During my first week in parliament I asked a question of the minister for energy: would Labor fulfil its 2010 promise to replace Hazelwood coal power station with clean energy? Before the minister had a chance to rise to her feet, cries rang out in the chamber: ‘Teach her a lesson!’ ‘Yeah, give it to her!’

I had expected the minister might dodge the question, but I hadn’t expected just how vitriolic and aggressive her colleagues would be. Later, a minister told me I’d soon ‘get used to it’, but I couldn’t help thinking: Is it any wonder young people don’t want to go into politics?